Would you like to make a decision using the EduTools Summative Decision Tool?
| Product Name | BB ePortfolio |
|---|---|
| Developer Name | BlackBoard ePortfolio |
| URL | |
| Review Date | August 17, 2006 |
| Free-form | |
| Annotate | |
| Look & Feel | The Administrator can create and deploy designed template pages for the individual to use. The individual can choose the colors for a portfolio and upload images. |
| Online Content Formatting | A Visual Text Box Editor includes font choices, text sizes, colors, and formatting, bulleted and numbered lists, indents, and more. |
| Customize / Edit | A Visual Text Box Editor is provided to help students create formatted content that will display in their portfolio. Images can also be resized. |
| Internal Linking | Portfolios may be linked from different areas in a course, and may contain links to different documents stored on the Blackboard Content System. |
| External Linking | A portfolio can contain links to any outside resource. |
| Upload | Upload as Blackboard content, then reference it within the portfolio. |
| Templates | |
| Advise | The Administrator can create a series of templates, or modify the preexisting templates. System allows for public or private commenting, providing a forum for feedback. |
| Development | The Administrator can create a series of templates, or modify the preexisting templates. |
| Reflection | The Administrator can create a series of templates, or modify the preexisting templates. The templates can include prompts for process, development, and analysis. |
| Career | Can prepare resume, and prospective employers get a 'pass' for a specific length of time. URL is provided to user for distribution. |
| Blogging | |
| Evaluation | |
| Presentation | The Administrator can create a series of templates, or modify the preexisting templates. |
| Mentor / Tutor | |
| Create Templates | The Administrator can create a series of templates, or modify the preexisting templates. |
| Modify Template | Only administrators can create or modify the preexisting templates, however a user can edit and change that template. The template does not need to be 'locked down.' |
| User Interface | A portfolio wizard is available for those who need guidance. |
| Goal Setting | |
| Assessment | |
| Standards | |
| Publish / Share | |
| Access Controls | Administrators may make portfolios available to users with specific roles. Individuals can set up passes for outside users, portfolios can be shared with individuals also on Blackboard, or with groups. |
| View | |
| Types | A user can share any type of content via a portfolio. |
| Archive/Download | Saved as HTML in ZIP package. |
| Publish to Course | A portfolio can be made available inside the Blackboard Learning System simply by sharing the portfolio with a course. Once published then the access control system of the Blackboard Learning System enables others to view, use, or comment on the resource. |
| Publish to Web | Users can publish to the web, and invite others to view their portfolios with a pass. |
| Commenting | Can be private or shared. |
| Share Templates | |
| Groupwork | In Content System, under workflow. |
| Multiple Portfolios | Students can have multiple portfolios for multiple audiences. |
| Syndicate | No RSS available. |
| External Notification | External users can be sent an email with a URL that provides access to the portfolio for a particular length of time. |
| Internal Notification | Other Blackboard users can by notified. |
| Searching and browsing | |
| Organize | |
| Collection space | Blackboard Content System is a file repository. |
| Categorization | Available in Content System. |
| Sequencing |
Available in Content System. |
| Mapping | |
| Bookmarking | Available. |
| Selecting | The Learning Objects Catalogue can be used for Selecting. |
| Aggregate | |
| Reuse/Remix | Items in Content Management System can be reused. |
| Analysis Tools | |
| Tracking | A user can enable Tracking, and gather basic data about views of the portfolio. |
| Reporting | Basic reporting is available. |
| Summarizing | |
| Comparing | |
| IMS Schema | |
| Accessibility | To comply with Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act, the software implements the following features: a tool for instructors to add alt tags to uploaded images, alt tags on all system images, data tables that are optimized for use with screen readers, documentation to assist students and instructors in the use of the assistive technologies the software supports, appropriately titled framesets that describe the functionality of the frames layout, and support for most screen reader technology including JAWS. Developers and designers on the staff of the product provider are trained in the use of Section 508 standards and development techniques. |
| Digital Rights Management | |
| Privacy / Security | Portfolios are only shared with user authorization |
| Sustainability | |
| Company profile | Founded in 1997, Blackboard is a public company (NasdaqNM:BBBB). The Company's product line includes the Blackboard Academic Suite (encompassing the Blackboard Learning System, Blackboard Community System , and Blackboard Content System) and the Blackboard Commerce Suite. Blackboard has over the years acquired CourseInfo, Web-Course-in-a-Box, and Prometheus course management systems. In February 2006, Blackboard acquired WebCT. Blackboard is headquartered in Washington, D.C. |
| Conversion Support | |
| Hosted version | Blackboard offers a hosted version, provided by Blackboard ASP Services, of all of the products in the Blackboard Academic Suite, including the Blackboard Content System. |
| Systems Integration | The Blackboard Content System (encompassing the e-Portfolio product) is fully integrated with the other products in the Blackboard Academic Suite - the Blackboard Learning System and the Blackboard Community System. The Blackboard Academic Suite can be fully integrated with institutional systems including the Student Information System, the HR system, and the campus enterprise resource planning system. |
| Migration/Export | |
| eCommerce | |
| Pricing/Licensing |
Limitations model of the license: The annual license fee is based on FTE students in an institution (or school within an institution) or consortium. In some markets, the annual license fee is determined on a per-user basis. |
| Staffing Requirements | Staffing requirements vary based on the skills of existing staff and the goals of the proposed installation. The Blackboard Academic Suite provides flexibility in how staffing can be sub-divided and managed. |
| Orientation/Training/Help | Blackboard's training ranges from extensive documentation for "do it yourselfers" to formal courses provided by Blackboard Consulting. |
| Technical Support | The company provides 24 X 7 technical support. |
| Vendor viability | |
| Technical | |
| Authentication | Authenticated Blackboard users can view shared portfolios, but even users outside the Blackboard system can access particular portfolios (without a username and password) if they have been sent a Pass. |
| Authorization | Must have Blackboard account to access Blackboard eportfolio - which is only available if the institution has purchased the Content System and system administrator allows access. |
| Storage | Quotas set by Administrator, set by role of individuals. |
| Server and OS Requirements | The software is available for Solaris 9 or 10 and Red Hat Linux Advanced Server 2.1 or 3.0. The software is available for Windows 2003 Server. Suggested hardware recommendations depend on factors including the size of the institution, expected growth, adoption rates, and performance and availability expectations. Company provides a comprehensive guide to hardware recommendations and to capacity planning. The software requires Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS) software (for Windows), and the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition Version 5.0. |
| Database requirements |
The system requires either: 1) SQL Server 2000 on Windows 2003 Server; or 2) Oracle 9i or 10g on Sun Solaris 9 or 10; or 3) Oracle 9i on RedHat Linux Advanced Server 2.1; or 4) Oracle 9i or 10g on Red Hat Linux Advanced Server 2.1 or 3.0. |
| Other Software Requirements | The software supports Internet Explorer 6.0, Netscape 7.1+, and Firefox 1.0 on Windows PCs. The software supports Internet Explorer 5.2, Netscape 7.1, Firefox 1.0, and Safari 1.1 and 1.2 for Mac OS. |
| Optional Extras | The Academic Suite is a broader set of products than just the Blackboard Content System (which encompasses our e-Portfolio product). The suite includes the Blackboard Learning System and the Blackboard Community System. The Building Blocks initiative has created a community of developers who can provide API-integrateable applications to enhance the functionality of the system. The system is currently available in English, Chinese (simplified), Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish language versions. In addition, the Blackboard Academic Suite has a Language Pack Editor which allows clients to create additional language versions. The company offers a range of professional service offerings including consulting (strategic planning, implementation, and customization services), training, ASP services, and 24 x 7 support (Enterprise version). |
This site is licensed under a Creative Commons License.